The Different Ways to Filter Water

Water is essential to life on Earth, but many different impurities sometimes make it necessary to filter water before it is consider fit for drinking. There are a variety of ways to filter water, some of which remove almost all bad tastes or harmful chemicals and compounds in the water; some of these methods are simple and inexpensive, others more elaborate and costly.

Carbon

• One of the most commonly used method of water filters is carbon, which is available in simple systems where water runs through the carbon one pitcher at a time; whole home systems can also be installed. Carbon filters will do away with many inorganic impurities in water, such as chlorine and pesticides; water that is heavy with sediments, however, can shorten the life of a carbon filter or render it useless.

Boiling

• Water that is boiled for 15 minutes or so will kill almost any bacteria or other organism in it and remove most of the chemicals as well. The taste of minerals in water that has been boiled, however, may be more pronounced. Boiling also is used to distill water, but some chemicals that are vaporized will re-condense along with the distilled water. Disinflation systems are also expensive.

Chemicals

• Several chemicals, such as chlorine, iodine and bromine, are sometimes used to filter out bacteria and other organisms from water. Chemicals, though, often leave bitter aftertastes and can be toxic if used at levels that are too high.

Aeration

• Oxidation aeration can be an effective method of removing many unwanted materials from water although it is usually used in combination with other filtration systems, rather than as a standalone solution. With oxidation, air is blown into the water, usually in large storage facilities; the air works over time to dissolve many contaminants.

Ultraviolet light

• One of the most inexpensive ways to filter water is to expose it to high concentrations of ultraviolet light. UV light works particularly well for removing parasites and bacteria from water.

Other Filters

• Sand, porous rock and paper sometimes are used to filter water, but each has its drawbacks. Sand and stone filters, for instance, have limited effects on bacteria. Other techniques include reverse osmosis, the use of ozone and ionization.